Intelligent Items

Magic items sometimes have intelligence of their own. Magically imbued with sentience, these items think and feel the same way characters do and should be treated as NPCs. Intelligent items have extra abilities and sometimes extraordinary powers and special purposes. Only permanent magic items (as opposed to single-use items or those with charges) can be intelligent. (This means that potions, scrolls, and wands, among other items, are never intelligent.) In general, less than 1% of magic items have intelligence.

Intelligent items can actually be considered creatures because they have Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. Treat them as constructs. Intelligent items often have the ability to illuminate their surroundings at will (as magic weapons do); many cannot see otherwise.

Unlike most magic items, intelligent items can activate their own powers without waiting for a command word from their owner. Intelligent items act during their owner's turn in the initiative order.

Intelligent Item Alignment

item

Any item with intelligence has an alignment. Note that intelligent weapons already have alignments, either stated or by implication. If you're generating a random intelligent weapon, that weapon's alignment must fit with any alignment-oriented special abilities it has.

Any character whose alignment does not correspond to that of the item (except as noted by the asterisks on the table) gains one negative level if he or she so much as picks up the item. Although this negative level never results in actual level loss, it remains as long as the item is in hand and cannot be overcome in any way (including restoration spells). This negative level is cumulative with any other penalties the item might already place on inappropriate wielders. Items with Ego scores (see below) of 20 to 29 bestow two negative levels. Items with Ego scores of 30 or higher bestow three negative levels.

Intelligent Item Alignment

d%

Alignment of Item

01-05

Chaotic good

06-15

Chaotic neutral*

16-20

Chaotic evil

21-25

Neutral evil*

26-30

Lawful evil

31-55

Lawful good

56-60

Lawful neutral*

61-80

Neutral good*

81-100

Neutral

* The item can also be used by any character whose alignment corresponds to the nonneutral portion of the item's alignment.

Languages Spoken by Item

item

Like a character, an intelligent item speaks Common plus one additional language per point of Intelligence bonus. Choose appropriate languages, taking into account the item's origin and purposes.

Table: Item Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma, and Capabilities

d%

Mental Ability Scores

Communication

Capabilities

Senses

Base Price Modifier

01-34

Two at 12,

one at 10

Empathy1

One lesser power

30 ft. vision and hearing

+1,000 gp

35-59

Two at 13,

one at 10

Empathy1

Two lesser powers

60 ft. vision and hearing

+2,000 gp

60-79

Two at 14,

one at 10

Speech2

Two lesser powers

120 ft. vision and hearing

+4,000 gp

80-91

Two at 15,

one at 10

Speech2

Three lesser powers

60 ft. darkvision and hearing

+5,000 gp

92-97

Two at 16,

one at 10

Speech2 3

Three lesser powers

60 ft. darkvision and hearing

+6,000 gp

98

Two at 17,

one at 10

Speech, telepathy 3 4

Three lesser powers and one greater power6

120 ft. darkvision and hearing

+9,000 gp

99

Two at 18,

one at 10

Speech, telepathy 4 5

Three lesser powers and two greater powers6

120 ft. darkvision, blindsense, and hearing

+12,000 gp

100

Two at 19,

one at 10

Speech, telepathy 4 5

Four lesser powers and three greater powers6

120 ft. darkvision, blindsense, and hearing

+15,000 gp

1 The possessor feels urges and sometimes emotions from the item that encourage or discourage certain courses of action.

2 Like a character, an intelligent item speaks Common plus one language per point of Intelligence bonus. It can communicate telepathically withthe wielder.

3 The item can also read any languages it can speak.

4 The item can use either communication mode at will, with language use as any speaking item. It can communicate telepathically with the wielder.

All powers function at the direction of the item, although intelligent items generally follow the wishes of their owner. Activating a power or concentrating on an active one is a standard action the item takes.

Defeat/slay a particular creature type (see the bane special ability for choices)

56-60

Defeat/slay a particular race or kind of creature

61-70

Defend a particular race or kind of creature

71-80

Defeat/slay the servants of a specific deity

81-90

Defend the servants and interests of a specific deity

91-95

Defeat/slay all (other than the item and the wielder)

96-100

Choose one

* The purpose of the neutral (N) version of this item is to preserve the balance by defeating/slaying powerful beings of the extreme alignments (LG, LE, CG, CE).

Purpose

item

An item's purpose must suit the type and alignment of the item and should always be treated reasonably. A purpose of 'defeat/slay arcane spellcasters' doesn't mean that the sword forces the wielder to kill every wizard she sees. Nor does it mean that the sword believes it is possible to kill every wizard, sorcerer, and bard in the world. It does mean that the item hates arcane spellcasters and wants to bring the local wizard's cabal to ruin, as well as end the rule of a sorceress-queen in a nearby land. Likewise, a purpose of 'defend elves' doesn't mean that if the wielder is an elf, he only wants to help himself. It means that the item wants to be used in furthering the cause of elves, stamping out their enemies and aiding their leaders. A purpose of 'defeat/slay all' isn't just a matter of self-preservation. It means that the item won't rest (or let its wielder rest) until it places itself above all others.

Dedicated Power

item

A dedicated power operates only when an intelligent item is in pursuit of its special purpose. This determination is always made by the item. It should always be easy and straightforward to see how the ends justify the means. Unlike its other powers, an intelligent item can refuse to use its dedicated power even if the owner is dominant (see Items against Characters, below).

Item Ego

item

Ego is a measure of the total power and force of personality that an item possesses. Only after all aspects of an item have been generated can its Ego score be calculated. An item's Ego score helps determine whether the item or the character is dominant in their relationship, as detailed below.

Items Against Characters

item

When an item has an Ego of its own, it has a will of its own. The item is, of course, absolutely true to its alignment. If the character who possesses the item is not true to that alignment's goals or the item's special purpose, personality conflict-item against character-results. Similarly, any item with an Ego score of 20 or higher always considers itself superior to any character, and a personality conflict results if the possessor does not always agree with the item.

When a personality conflict occurs, the possessor must make a Will saving throw (DC = item's Ego). If the possessor succeeds, she is dominant. If she fails, the item is dominant. Dominance lasts for one day or until a critical situation occurs (such as a major battle, a serious threat to either the item or the character, and so on). Should an item gain dominance, it resists the character's desires and demands concessions such as any of the following.

Removal of associates or items whose alignment or personality is distasteful to the item.

The character divesting herself of all other magic items or items of a certain type.

Obedience from the character so the item can direct where they go for its own purposes.

Immediate seeking out and slaying of creatures hateful to the item.

Magical protections and devices to protect the item from molestation when it is not in use.

That the character carry the item with her on all occasions.

That the character relinquish the item in favor of a more suitable possessor due to alignment differences or conduct.

In extreme circumstances, the item can resort to even harsher measures, such as the following acts:

Force its possessor into combat.

Refuse to strike opponents.

Strike at its wielder or her associates.

Force its possessor to surrender to an opponent.

Cause itself to drop from the character's grasp.

Naturally, such actions are unlikely when harmony reigns between the character's and item's alignments or when their purposes and personalities are well matched. Even so, an item might wish to have a lesser character possess it in order to easily establish and maintain dominance over him, or a higher-level possessor so as to better accomplish its goals.

All magic items with personalities desire to play an important role in whatever activity is under way, particularly combat. Such items are rivals of each other, even if they are of the same alignment. No intelligent item wants to share its wielder with others. An intelligent item is aware of the presence of any other intelligent item within 60 feet, and most intelligent items try their best to mislead or distract their host so that she ignores or destroys the rival. Of course, alignment might change this sort of behavior.

Items with personalities are never totally controlled or silenced by the characters who possess them, even though they may never successfully control their possessors. They may be powerless to force their demands but remain undaunted and continue to air their wishes and demands.

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